Daily Kennebec journal., 1887-02-18
and assigned to Saturday next at II o'clock
for consideration.

House Document 81, Reports of Committee
on the Judiciary. on bill an act to increase
the salaries of the Justices of the Supreme
Judicial Court, came up under s?eciai
assignment. pending question being accep-
tance of report of majority. ought to pass
or report of minority. ought not to pass
Mr.. Wiswell of Ellsworth moved the ac-
ceptance of the majority report.
Mr.. Talbot of East Machias. moved to SUBJ
stitute the report of the minority.
Mr., Talbot said the salaries OF
these justices had been the same since
1880 and were larger than they had
ever been before. His rule in legislation was
that the party desiring change should prove
the necessity for it; and he thought that one
of the reasons should be that there was more
business to do if more pay was required he
called atteLtion to the fact that this legisla'
ture had organized many county courts since
1880 and their business had chiefly been taken
from the work of the Supreme judicial Court.
He also laid special stress upon the fact that
the purchasing power of money was greater
now than at that time. In his opinion
the work of this court had largely decreased.
He warned gentlemen against this extrava-
CANT legislation of raising salaries.
Mr.. Wiswell Of Ellsworth reviewed the
work OF these eight judges, holding ntsi prius
trials in sixteen counties, three law terms
wear, one in Portland. one in Bangor, one in
Augusta, besides writing opinions and de-
ci.ions in their chambers at home. Their
expenses in travelling over the State were
not less than $500, and besides thew were put
to an annual expense of about 500 for law
books. At first it was decided to rport an
allowance of that amount, tor
that purpose, but II was
reconsidered and determined TO report an in
crease in their salaries of $500 aud let item
pay their own expenses. He called the at
tention of gentlemen TO the small salary
$500 was in comparison to the Incomes
earned bv gentlemen in other walks of life
manufacturers. bankers, lawyers, physicians,
VINO have achieved eminence and success; ;
and yet we desired to have on this ben b, and
have had on it, the best ability aud the most
distinguished gentlemen in the legal prOies
sion of the State, bench that had to decide
upon the interests, the life, the liberty, the
property of the people of Maine.
Mr. Walton of Skowhegan reviewed tine
salaries paid to these Justices since time
prior to the war, ranging from $500 10
$4,000, in 1872 being only S2S00-a time
when the purchasing power of a dollar was
half of what it is now. This was an exceed
ingly unpleasant position for him to occupy,
and he only wanted to state the reasons IN
ducing him to sign the minority report. He
wished to know if there was any lack of dis
tingushed men to occupy places on this
bench? He thought not. We had Shepey
and Tenney when the salaries were only
$500. We have had, during the time the
salaries were at $4,000, an Appleton. a Bar
rows, Kent, Cutting, a Walton and Vir-
gin. He was not aware that these justices
had found any fault with their salaries.
Mr.. Noble of Lewiston thought the best
was always the cheapest. He thought the
maxim was applicable to the highest tribunal
in the State-a tribunal before which per-
sonal rights and property interests are inves-
tigated. and whose decisions are going out as
precedents for future tribunals. Did not the
gentlemen want the best men for such tri-
buna?
Mr.. Barker said one of the most important
measures before this legislature this winter
was legislation for the iaboring man. He
trusted that in doing that, gentlemen woul0
make no discrimination 10 regard to the kind
of labor-whether he is a man who works on
the farm, in the factory, in the Office in the
mill, or on the Supreme Bench OF the State
What we wanted to do was to arrange that
each man should receive fair salary or fair
pay for the work that he performs. He re
ferred to the fact that two years ago, when
the Supreme Bench lost one of its brightest
on the bench for the salary he received. He
thought 1t was disgrace. He found upon
examination that our judges receive less pay
than Judges on any Supreme Bench in all but
three States of the Union, and that in those
three States the Supreme Court has no such
duties to perform a. that of Maine.
Mr.. Cloutier of Lewiston, too. thought we
ought to pay these people a salary more ade-
quate to their work and position
Mr. al al 6 4.
had presented the bill without consultation
with anyoue, but a personal friend in Port
land. The bill was demand of his consti.
tuents and he was sure they all approved of
it,
| Mr.. OBrlen of ThCmaston thought this
legislature was going to far in voting these
Increase of salaries, and he thought it time
to call halt.
Mr. Looney of Portland thought there was
a difference between economy and parsmonv
He was not troubled with this economic cry.
He believed the people of the State wanted
this bill passed, and he believed it was to the
interests of the State.
Mr.. Allen of Alfred thought that the Judi
cisry was the balance wheel of the State
government Whatever the legislature or
Executive may do, the people look to the
court for sober judgment and wise decisions.
he thought 1t matter OF utmost Importance
that We should have not only men of eminent
ability as lawyers, but men of impeachable
character to sit on the bench of the Judicial
branch of the government. He made a com
parison of salaries paid by the national gov
ernment to different officers
Mr.. Dickey did not speak for any votes.
He spoke for himself. He did not known
whether he had any constituents or not-thev
might all be showed under Great Lau yhterl.
He though the Governor had rather gone
back on the democrats in appointments. but
his excuse was he could not find an eminent
democrat would take the office for that sal
ary He though we had better raise the
salary so that we could get one eminent law
yer who is democrat OH the bench TGreat
LaughterI
MIR. Powers summed up for the majority in
very able presentation of the whole case.
He asked this increased salary on the Or oand
that it is just and wise. He doubted the
statement of the gentleman from East
Machias that the work of this court had de-
creased He believed that it had greatly in
creased, for while the mis-, prius trials in the
counties might be less, the appeals on oues.
tions of law had become more numerous.
He thought that the increase in
their work was shown by the large
number of Maine reports. issued.
Formerly we received only some three in
two years, while now we were RECEIVING two